Bayonet



Nov. 2, 1943. M. M. JOHNSON, JR

BAYONET Filed April 26, 1941 ja/evzzov' in)? Patented Nov. 2, 1943 Melvin M. Johnson, Jr., Brookline, Mass., assignor to Melvin M. Johnson, Brookline, Mass., and said Melvin M. Johnson, Jr., and Edward E. Rice, Boston, Mass., as trustees of Johnson Patent Trust Application April 26, 1941, Serial No. 390,478

11 Claims. (01. 42-26) This invention relates to a bayonet for attachment to the forward end of a gun barrel and has for its objects to provide an attachment which is simple and economical in construction, which is reliable and durable in use, which permits quick attachment and detachment of the bayonet, which has a detent of extensive bearing surface for latching the bayonet on the firearm, which is light but strong and which is therefore particularly suited to firearms of the reciprocatfrom the extension 2. To limit this downward ing barrel type. flexing one of the ears is provided With-an in- For the purpose of illustration a typical emturned portion 24 for engagement with the botbodiment of the invention is shown in the accomotm of the recess 26 in the extension 2, the depth panying drawing in which of the recess 26 determining the limit to which Fig. 1 is a side view of a bayonet applied to the the spring may be flexed. At the rear of the barrel of amiltary rifle; opening 22 the spring is provided with lateral Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; arms 27 which are bent inwardly, as best shown Fig. 3 is a side view of a fitting permanently in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, to form abutments for engage-- mounted on the barrel to receive the bayonet ment behind the lower end of the lug I. At its detachably; rear end the spring is provided with a bent tongue Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bayonet; 28 for engagement with the cam surface I l 'on Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the rear end of the lug l. I the bayonet with the spring detent removed; To attach the'bayonet the legs l3 are first I Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5; slipped into the grooves 9 from the front/and Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the spring detent; thereafter the ring 3 moves over the forward Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the spring deend of the barrel. As the bayonet moves to the tent; and rear the tongue 28 engages the cam surfaces ll Fig. 9 is a side View of the spring detent. to flex the rear end of the spring downwardly out The particular embodiment of the invention of the path of the lower end of the lug. Whenv chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises 30 the bayonet reaches its rearmost position the fora blade I, a flat rearward extension 2 and a ring Ward end of the lug 7 seats against the forward 3 formed in a single piece. The blade I has a end of the slot l2 and the abutment arms 2? central rib 4 extending lengthwise along the botsnap up to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 tom and the ring 3 has an opening 5 to fit over behind the lower end of the lug. Inthis p0si-' the forward end of a gun barrel B. Mounted on tion the folded arms 2! lie in front of the dependthe gun barrel at a short distance from its foringlugs I! on the rear endsof the legs 83, whereward end is a ring 6 having a depending lug 7, by the abutment arms are protected against acci the ring being held in position on the barrel by dental engagement which might unlatch the means of two pins 8. The sides of'the depending bayonet from the lug 1. To remove-the bayonet lug Tare provided with grooves 9 extending paral- 40 from the barrel the rear end of the spring is lel to the axis of the gun barrel and the lower flexed downwardly by grasping the ears 23 with end of the lug is rounded at H to form a cam the thumb and finger and'pulling downward unsurface. At its rearward end the extension 2 is til the inturned ear 24 seats in the recess 26, and bifurcated by a slot 12 to form legs I3 adapted then sliding the bayonet forwardly. to straddle the lug l and fit in the grooves 9 From the foregoing it will be evident that the as, shown in Fig. 2. The extension .2 may also attachment is simple in construction and facile be provided with a rivet opening l4 and an openin operation. It will also be evident that, by viring it to reduce the weight of the bayonet. Thev tue of the unique leaf-spring construction, the rear ends of the legs l3 have dependinglugs ill attachment is very compact and safe against acfora purpose hereinafter described. ciclental detachment from the barrel.

According to this invention the bayonet is cle- It should be understood that the present disclotachably held in operative position on the gun sure is for the purpose of illustration only and barrel by means of a detent in the form of a leaf thatthis invention includes all modifications and spring l8 which extends lengthwise of the bayoequivalents which fall within the scope of the an; net along the under side of the extension 2, At pended claims.

its forward end it is provided with an opening Hi to receive the rivet 2D and near its rearward end it is provided with an opening 22 to receive the depending end of the lug T. On opposite sides of the opening 22 the spring has lateral ears 23 which extend upwardly and then outwardly on opposite sides of extension 2, these ears serving as grips for engagement by the thumb and finger in flexing the spring downwardly away I claim:

1. A bayonet for attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug, the rear end of the bayonet being bifurcated to form legs adapted to slide rearwardly in grooves in opposite sides of the lug, and a leaf spring for detachably locking the bayonet to the lug, one end of the spring being attached to the bayonet and the other-end having lateral arms folded inwardly to form an abutment which snaps behind the lug when the bayonet is moved to rearmost position.

2. A bayonet for attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug, the rear end of the bayonet being bifurcated to form legs adapted .to slide rearwardly in grooves in opposite sides of the lug; a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bayonet for detachably locking the bayonet to the lug, the forward end of the spring being attached to the bayonet and the rearward end having lateral arms folded rearwardly to form an abutment which snaps behind the lug when the bayonet is moved to rearmost position, and lugs on the rear end of the bayonet behind said folded arms to protect the arms against accidental engagement.

3. A bayonet for attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug, the rear end of the bayonet being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of the lug, a leaf spring for detachably locking the bayonet to the lug, one end of the spring being attached to the bayonet and the other end having lateral arms folded inwardly to form an abutment which snaps behind the lug when the bayonet is moved to rearmost position, and ears projecting from the spring at opposite sides of the bayonet for manually unlocking the spring from the lug.

4. A bayonet for attachment to a firearm havinga grooved lug, the rear end of the bayonet being bifurcated to form legs adapted to slide rearwardly in grooves in opposite sides of the lug, a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bayonet for detachably locking the bayonet to the lug, the forward end of the spring being attached to the bayonet and the rearward end having an abutment which snaps behind the lu when the bayonet is moved to rearmost position, ears project ing from the spring at opposite sides of the bayonet for manually unlocking the spring from the lug, and an inturned ear engageable with said end for limiting the unlocking movement of the spring.

5. A bayonet for attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug, the rear end of the bayonet being bifurcated to form legs adapted to slide rearwardly in grooves in opposite sides of the lug, a leaf spring for detachably locking the bayonet to the lug, one end of the spring being attached to the bayonet and the other end having an opening to receive the end of said lug, lateral arms folded inwardly at the rear of the opening to form an abutment which snaps behind the lug when the bayonet is moved to rearmost position, the spring having a cam surface in the rear of the abutment to ride over the end of the lug when the bayonet is moved rearwardly in said groove, and lugs on the rear end of the bayonet behind said folded arms to protect the arms against accidental engagement.

6. For attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug projecting downwardly from the barrel, a bayonet comprising a blade and a horizontal bar extending rearwardly from the blade under the barrel, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of the lug, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bar parallel thereto on the under side thereof, the front end of the leaf spring being secured to the bar and the rear end having a shoulder to snap behind the lower end of said lug, the rear end of the spring riding under said lug and then snapping upwardly behind the lug to hold the bayonet in position, and at least one of said legs having a shoulder disposed -behind a part of the spring to prevent rearward displacement f the spring relatively to the blade in response to rearward thrust on the spring.

'7. For attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug projecting downwardly from the barrel, a bayonet comprising a blade and. a horizontal bar extending rearwardly from the blade under the barrel, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of the lug, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bar parallel thereto on the under side thereof, one'end of the leaf spring being secured to the bar and the other free end having a shoulder to snap behind the lower end of said lug, the free end of the spring riding under said lug and then snapping upwardly behind the lug to hold the bayonetin position, and the spring having side flanges bent up along the edges of said bar to restrain lateral displacement of the spring relatively to the bar.

8. For attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug projecting downwardly from the barrel, a bayonet comprising a blade and a horizontal bar extending rearwardly from the blade under the barrel, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of the lug, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bar parallel thereto on the under sidevthereof, one end of the leaf spring being secured to the bar and the other free end having a shoulder to snap behind the lower end of saidlug, the free end of the spring riding under said lug and then snapping upwardly behind the lug to hold the bayonet in position, at least one of said legs having a shoulder disposed behind a part of the spring to prevent rearward displacement of the spring relatively to the blade in response to rearward thrust on the spring and the spring having side flanges bent up along the edges of said bar to restrain lateral displacement of the spring relatively to the bar.

9. For attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug projecting downwardly from the barrel, a'bayonet comprising'a blade anda horizontal bar extending rearwardly from the blade under the barrel, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of thelug, means at the forward end of the bar .for sliding engagement with the firearm, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bar parallel thereto onthe under side thereof, the front end of the leaf spring being secured to the bar and the rear end having an opening to receive the'lower end of said lug, the rear of the spring'riding under said lug and then snapping upwardly over the lug to hold the bayonet in position, and at least one of said legs having a shoulder disposed behind a part of the spring to prevent rearward displacement of the spring relatively to the blade in response to rearward thrust on the spring.

10. For attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug projecting downwardly from the barrel, a bayonet comprising a blade and a horizontal bar extending rearwardly from the blade under the barrel, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of the lug, means at the forward end of the bar for sliding engagement with the firearm, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bar parallel thereto on the under side thereof, the front end of the leaf spring being secured to the bar and the rear end having an opening to receive the lower end of said lug, the rear end of the spring riding under said lug and then snapping upwardly over the lug to hold the bayonet in position, and the spring having sideflanges bent up along the edges of said bar to restrain lateral displacement of the spring relatively to the bar.

11. For attachment to a firearm having a grooved lug projecting downwardly from the barrel, a bayonet comprising a blade and a horizontal bar extending rearwardly from the blade under the barrel, the rear end of the bar being bifurcated to form legs adapted to straddle the lug, at least one leg sliding rearwardly in a groove in the side of the lug, means at the forward end of the bar for sliding engagement with p the firearm, and a leaf spring extending lengthwise of the bar parallel thereto on the under side thereof, the front end of the leaf spring being secured to the bar and the rear end having an opening to receive the lower end of said lug, the rear end of the spring riding under said lug and then snapping upwardly over the lug to hold the bayonet in position, at least one of said legs having a shoulder disposed behind a part of the spring to prevent rearward displacement of the spring relatively to the blade in response to rearward thrust on the spring and the spring having side flanges bent up along the edges of said bar MELVIN M. JOHNSON, JR. 

